Apparatus for shaping and forming leather



Nov. 16, 1948. M. G REEN EIAL 53,

AgPARATUS .FOR SHAPING AND FORMING LEATHER Filed June 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Marty Green BY Irv/n5 She/"off ATTORNEY av. 16, 194. GREEN E'TAL 2,453,987

APPARATUS FOR SHAPING AND FORMING LEATHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Filed June 11, 1946 INVENTORS. Mam Green Irv/n She/off Patented Nov. 16, 1948 APPARATUS FOR SHAPING AND FORMING LEATHER Marty Green and Irving Sheroff, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application June 11, 1946, Serial No. 676,059

6 Claims.

The invention deals with an improved and serviceable apparatus for shaping and folding nonmetallic flexible material and specifically is concerned with an efficient apparatus for doubling back the peripheral margins of preformed flexible material or stock to characterize rein forced and finished edges. The dominant object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel apparatus wherein the flexible sheet material to be doubled back upon itself is initially shaped upon the displacement of a self retracting inner platen or pad downwardly relative to an outer spring controlled, self retracting normally elevated frame slidably guiding and closely surrounding the inner platen and wherein the shaped material or stock is subsequently folded or turned inwardly against the body of the stock upon displacement of the normally elevated shaping frame downwardly relative to the depressed inner platen by frame or boss means depending from an upper and reciprocable bending or forming head driven by a suitable ram of a punch press. Another object is concerned with the provision of means common to the inner reciprocable pad or platen and its surrounding reciprocable shaping frame to severally limit the depression thereof. Another object is to provide a novel method for shaping and folding flexible material or stock to reinforce the margins thereof. Other important objects, advantages, and functional and structural features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed specification taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to our invention showing the die thereof in its normal or opened relation.

Fig. 2 is a view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l and illustrating a bottom view of the bending head and its depending frame.

Fig. 3 is a View on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the slidably guided inner platen or pad surrounded by the shaping frame.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line '.i--5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-45 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a front view of Fig. 1 illustrating the die in its normally opened position, shown partly broken away and partly in section.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. '7 however illustrating the upper pad or platen initially clamping the flexible material or stock against the lower pad prior to shaping and folding.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 however illustrating the lower pad or platen depressed by the upper platen and the flexible stock shapedand telescoped within the slidable shaping frame however prior to folding the upstanding peripheral margin.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showin the lower pad held depressed by the upper platen and the bending or folding head depressing-the shaping frame on turning down or bending the peripheral margin of the flexible stock.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of Fig. 12 illustrating the marginal portions of the stock fully bent back upon the stock at which time the bending or folding head is fully depressed, and

Fig. 12 is a side view of Fig. 10 however illustrating the shaping frame fully depressed by the upper bending head.

Illustrative of the method and the preferred embodiment disclosed, the invention contemplates shaping flexible sheet material or stock S, such as fabric, plastic, or leather in initially lifting the margins M of the stock and. thereafter bending or folding the margin M inwardly and downwardly against the body of the stock to provide an appropriate reinforced peripheral edge on the stock.

In the apparatus generally denoted P the stock S is initially positioned on a slidably guided pad or lower platen Ill with its outer margins M overlapping the upper surface of the shaping frame F which has an opening ll corresponding in contour to the pad ID and in which the latter is closely and slidably guided. As shown the pad l0 and the opening II is six sided or polygonal but other desired and corresponding shapes may be employed. As is well understood portions of the margins M overlying the frame F are interrupted by suitably disposed cuts or gaps not shown. I

Normally the slidably guided pad or platen II] is held flush with the upper surface of the shaping frame F and its outer margin is chamfered 3 or beveled to provide the peripherally arranged and inclined marginal faces l2.

The pad l fixedly but removably carries several posts l3 slidably guided in the base B. These posts are in part disposed in the large bores M in pad I!) and in part are slidably guided in the openings IS in the base B.

Surrounding each post I3 is a normally expanded helicoidal spring is having its upper end confined in bore 14 and abutting the pad l0 and has its lower end abutting the base B which is fixedly anchored to support I! of the apparatus P forming a part of a well known punch press.

The lowerportionsof the bore 15in .th'e base B are countersunk to provide sockets I8 for receiving the enlarged heads I9 of the slidably guided posts l3 and the upper walls of sockets 1-8 cooperate with heads I9 to limit upward displacement of the lower pad or platen I9 at which time the upper surface of pad lflis flush with the pper surface of the slida'bly guided shaping frame F. If the pad I0 is depressed helicoidal springs l6 are compressed. Upon removal of downwardly directed pressure on the pad I 0, springs l6 automatically elevate or retract this zpadmntil head .I 9 :of i posts 4.33 abut :the upper -,wall rof'the-soc ets 4. Thus {the pad 4.0 may be said to be normallyfelevatedprspaced from the "base B due to the action vof the equalizing helicoidal Sprin s Power springs normall hold the slidably guided frame Fretracted, namely, in spaced re- Jationtmthefixedzbase B. .Each of these springs 2 0 surrounds :a pin :2l having its llpperend -threadably connected 3t0 the shaping frame F .while the lower ends jthreadably carry an adjustgablerstop nut .22. Each of these springs :20 :has its lower major portion confined in the tubular .ho.i1sing-22:3 h'avingits upper end-carried by and -threadedto the fixed baseB. Each loweriendof the housings 23 is threadably ;c0nnect ed to :a closure cup 24 having :a centrally arranged 5 opening 25 for :slidablyguiding-its:coinpanion pin .21 when the frame -F is displaced downwardly or upwardly retracted relative -to the pad 140.

;-Extending upwardly from the base :13 and lappropriatelyranchored thereto are thespacedposts .25;proje cting into the spaced openings :27 of the shaping frame I 'for slidably guiding the latter relative to the base B. To further aid such action, the base embodies opening :28 slidably uid- .ingqpost ZS-fixedly carried byrand depending from :the-frame F.

i The reciprocable ram R 'of the punch press fixedlycarries the upperzbending.orforminghead .H which slidably guides the reciprocable platen or ,upper .pad :30 having .a contour correspond ing to .thecontour-of :the lower platen or .pad =l0 but smaller to be desirably and removably re- ..ceivable .in .the opening II .in the -reciprocable frame Specifically, however, the rupper platen .orpad.3.0.has secured theretothe spaced posts}! extending through. thethreadedopenings ,32 (Fig. 10,) in .the bending .or folding head H. These ,posts..are .centrally or .concentrically disposed .within the hollow nipples 33 .which embody :an .annular stop shoulder .34 slidably .guiding posts 3] -h'aVing..enla1-'ged heads v35coactingwith shoulrders .34 .to limit downwardly displacement .of the platen .311 relative .tozbendingor folding head H.

Surrounding :each post 3| :and abutting shoulder 34 and platen 30 is a normallyexpandedhelicoidal spring :36 for automatically h,olding' the .platen .30 sully depressed .at which :time heads .65 .of the slidablyguided; posts 31 are against the .its downward stroke and is seated on .of being in the general :plane .of the struck the .base B, boss 40 of .the

of the shaping frame Fthe stock the turned down .margin ram begins its return or upward stroke.

stop shoulders 34 and the springs 36 are fully expanded, and the reciprocable ram R is fully retracted within the fixed ram guide G (Fig. '7). Also at this time posts 26 which project above shaping frame F are out of or clear of the guide openings 31 is the bending head H.

Integral with and depending from the bending head H is the peripherally closed boss or frame 40 having its inner corner portions cut away to define a concaved or an arcuate face 4| merging with perpendicular wall 42 defining an opening 44 corresponding in contour to the lower platen or pad Ill to removably and slightly re- .ceive the .pad [11 when the shaping frame F is fully depressed by the bending head H (Fig. l1)

To shape and form a sheet of flexible material 'or stock S, the latter is first mounted on the inner platen or pad I!) in the manner indicated -.in Fig. 7. The treadle (not shown) of the punch press is now actuated. By such action ram R is slidably displaced downwardly relative to the ram guideG. .The upper platen 30 thus contacts the lower platen I0 is slidably :dis placed downwardly =Within1the-shaping frame F against the resistance of the springs 16 which now-alsobecome-compressed. The upper platen -30 is now .Within the shaping frame F (Fig. -9). The lower platen 1-0 .at this time has reachedthe limit 'of theibase B WhlCh SGlVES as stop for the lowerplaten 10. :On downward displacement 'of the lower platen ID, the -'margins M-of the stock brush the wall ofzthe openin H in the shaping frame Rand-instead body-of'the stock .3 now are disposed substantially normal thereto as shown in Fig. 9 wherein ithe depend- .ing .boss :or :frame 40 of the bending -or folding head :H is about to strike the elevated shaping frameF. 7

.On continuation .01 the downward stroke of the ram R and .after the lower platen .I-O has rbending '01 forming .head H meets the raised shaping frame .F.-'and depresses the .latter against the resistance .the margins M inwardly and towards the .stock S andon the complete downward displacement is urgedond seated against the .beveled margins 12.01 the lower platen or pad in .QFig. 1-1), the bending operation being facilitated by the upper portion 43 .of the .arcuate .or {cam face .4! which :forces -M against the .-stock S and the -latter.a.gainst the :beveled margin :i Z'of the lower platen or pad l0. By such action the stock .8 .is ,now .desirably :creased or bent back upon itself. Thisoperation takes place.:at .the completion of the.downward.strokeof the .ram R at which time bending head ,H ,receives the lower platen 10 within the opening 44 definedby the depending boss 40. Atsuch time both the shaping frame F and bending head H are in their fullydepressed positions (Fig. '12). The same of course holds *trueffor the "lower pad 18. Following the bending or folding operation, 'the Hence autoboss 40 leaves frame F and the latter is .matically elevated or retracted due to the expansion of the power springs 20. The lower .platen I'D is also retracted automatically away from the base B and is restored to its normal flush relation with the frame F by the springs IS. The upper platen is automatically projected downwardly due to the expansion of the spring 36 and at the completion of the retractive or upward stroke of the ram R the shaping and bending apparatus P is again in its fully opened position shown in Figs. 1 and '7 awaiting to receive another sheet of stock S to be shaped and bent as heretofore described.

From the foregoing disclosure it is apparent that the shaping and bending or folding operations are in effect carried out in first depressing a self retracting and spring controlled platen relative to a normally elevated and self retracting and spring controlled shaping frame and thereafter for purposes of bending or folding the shaped stock the shaping frame is depressed relative to the depressed lower platen by depending and cam shaped means of a bending or folding head carried by a reciprocable ram.

Pursuant to shaping and bending of the stock, the lower platen ID in effect projects the processed stock out of the self retracting frame F and at no times does the upper bending head project within opening ll f shaping frame F although at the completion of the bending operation the pad 10 and the shaping frame F are against the fixed base B which acts to severally limit downward displacement thereof.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages therein.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus for shaping and folding non-metallic flexible stock, a base, a pad for supporting said stock and slidable relative to said base, a shaping frame normally spaced from said base and for supporting marginal portions of said stock and including an opening for slidabli guiding said pad, a platen receivable in said opening for clamping said stock against said pad and for driving said marginal portions along the wall of said opening to lift said marginal portions relative to the body of said stock, a head normally spaced from said shaping frame and slidably carrying said platen and for driving the latter to depress said pad against said base, and means carried by said head for depressing said shaping frame relative to said pad when the latter is against said base and for folding said lifted marginal portions downwardly and against said stock.

2. In an apparatus for shaping and folding non-metallic flexible stock, a base, a pad normally spaced from said base for supporting said stock and slidable relative to said base, a shaping frame normally spaced from said base and for supporting marginal portions of said stock and including an opening for slidably guiding said pad, means for slidably guiding said frame relative to said base, a platen movably receivable in said opening for clamping said stock against said pad and for driving said marginal portions along the wall of said opening to lift said marginal portions relative to the body of said stock, a head normally spaced from said shaping frame and slidably carrying said platen and for driving the latter to depress said pad against said base, and means carried by said head for depressing said shaping frame relative to said pad when the latter is against said base and for folding said lifted marginal portions downwardly and against said stock.

.framenormally spaced'from said base, a platen receivable in'sa'id opening for clampingsaidstock against said pad and for depressing said pad and for driving said marginal portions along the :wall of said opening to lift said marginal'portions relative to the body of said stock, a head normally spaced from said shapingframe' and slidably carrying said platen for driving the latter to depress said pad against said base, and cam means carried by said head for depressing said shaping frame relative to said pad when the latter is against said base and for folding said lifted marginal portions downwardly against said stock.

4. In an apparatus for shaping and folding non-metallic flexible stock, a base, a pad for supporting said stock and slidable relative to said base, means to resiliently sustain said pad normally spaced from said base, a shaping frame for supporting marginal portions of said stock and including an opening for slidably guiding said pad, means for slidably guiding said frame relative to said base, means to resiliently sustain said frame normally spaced from said base, a platen receivable in said opening for clamping said stock against said pad and for depressing said pad and for driving said marginal portions along the wall of said opening to lift said marginal portions relative to the body of said stock, a head normally spaced from said shaping frame and slidably carrying said platen for driving the latter to depress said pad against said base, and a frame depending from said head for depressing said shaping frame relative to said pad when the latter is against said base and having means for folding said lifted marginal portions downwardly against said stock.

5. In an apparatus for shaping and folding non-metallic flexible stock, a base, a pad for supporting said stock and slidable relative t0 said base, means to resiliently sustain said pad normally spaced from said base, a shaping frame for supporting marginal portions of said stock and including an opening for slidably guiding said pad, means for slidably guiding said frame relative to said base, means to resiliently sustain said frame normally spaced from said base, a platen receivable in said opening for clamping said stock against said pad and for depressing said pad and for driving said marginal portions along the wall of said opening to lift said marginal portions relative to the body of said stock, a head normally spaced from said shaping frame and slidably carrying said platen for driving the latter to depress said pad against said base, and a boss depending from said head for depressing said shaping frame relative to said pad when the latter is against said base and having a reduced portion having means for folding said lifted marginal portions downwardly against said stock.

6. In an apparatus for shaping and folding non-metallic flexible stock, a base, a pad for supporting said stock and slidable relative to said base and including a sloping marginal portion, means to resiliently sustain said pad normally spaced from said base, a shaping frame 7 for supporting marginal portions of said stock and including an opening for slida'bly guiding said pad, means for slidably guiding said frame relative to said base, means to resiliently sustain said frame normally spaced from said base, a plat-en receivable in said opening for clamping said stock against said :pad and for depressing said pad and for driving said marginal portions along the wall of said opening to lift said marginal portions relative to the body of said stock, a head normally spaced from said shaping frame and slidably carrying said platen for driving the latter to depress said Dad against said base, and a frame carried by said head for depressing said shaping. frame relative to said pad when the latter is against said base and having an opening for removably receiving said pad and havmg means for folding said lifted marginal por- 'tion downwardly against said stock and the latter against said sloping marginal portion.

MARTY GREEN. IRVING SHEROFF. 

